There has been a decided lack of empirical research examining development aid
agencies as ‘agents of change’ in environmental impact assessment (EIA) systems in
developing countries, particularly research examining the model of environmental
planning practice promoted by aid agencies as part of capacity building. This paper
briefly traces a conceptual framework of EIA, then introduces the concept of ‘‘EIA
capacity building’’. Using Viet Nam as a case study, the paper then outlines the empirical
results of the research, focusing on the extent to which aid agency capacity-building
programs promoted a Technical vs. Planning Model of EIA and on the coherence of
capacity-building efforts across all aid programs. A discussion follows, where research
results are interpreted within the Vietnamese context, and implications of research results
are identified for three main groups of actors. The paper concludes by calling for
development aid agencies to reconceptualise EIA capacity building as an opportunity to
transform developing countries’ development planning processes.
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